garden activity for kids in a shelter

[Danielle Martinez]

Hello all,

My department works with Foster and Homeless youth services and every year they host a family summit for them. The families live in shelters, but we'd like to do a garden activity with them. Something that will tie in health but also give them an opportunity to take something to their living space and watch grow. Any ideas that might work for that environment? Most housing has a backyard or patio space. This activity would be for the kids older elementary through middle school.

Thank you,

[Maya McDowell]

This sounds like an ideal opportunity to do a planting activity in fabric grow bags! My org has done something similar - A hands-on demo that families can do together. We provided 5 gallon bags and soil, and families chose tomato/pepper plants or seed potatoes, then we all planted together and added some herb seeds as well, while we chatted about the benefits of companion planting. We provided verbal and written care instructions, and families were super excited to take home their grow bags. You could even provide watering cans as well.

I'm not sure how much time you have, but you could also incorporate some kind of recipe or taste test. For example, if you're having families plant tomatoes and basil, you could make a caprese salad together so they know what kinds of flavors to anticipate!

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Maya McDowell (she/hers)

Manager of Operations and Programs

SustainEd Farms

2255 Sheridan Blvd, Unit C 285, Edgewater, CO 80214

www.sustainedfarms.org┃ ma...@sustainedfarms.org

[andrew smith]

The fabric grow bags are a great idea, some times a theme for the plants to grow, ie, salsa, pizza, etc

The grow bags also come in tubes with all the necessary hose to help water or irrigate the plants. (Polymax grow tubes for example)

Don Smith

Minnesota Horticultural Society

Kidsgardening board member

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